The CEO Roundtable on Cancer has accredited Aura Biosciences of Cambridge, MA — a biotechnology company developing a new class of therapies to target and selectively destroy cancer cells — with the CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM recognizing its efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members.
“Our passion at Aura Biosciences is to improve treatment options for a wide range of cancers that are poorly managed today — so this recognition is very meaningful to us,” said Aura Chief Executive Officer Elisabet de los Pinos, Ph.D. “We are dedicated to creating a healthy workplace where employees have access to the highest quality medical care.”
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs, founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the Gold Standard to recognize employers for taking exceptional health and wellness measures on behalf of their employees and family members. Employers from many industries are keenly aware of the positive impact they can have on health and controlling healthcare costs when they take steps to address cancer and other chronic diseases.
“CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation is further testament that Aura Biosciences efforts to improve health begins with improving the health of their own employees,” said Robert A. Bradway, chairman and chief executive officer of Amgen and chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.
To earn Gold Standard accreditation, an employer must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by taking concrete actions in five key areas: emphasize prevention by prohibiting tobacco use and supporting tobacco cessation efforts; promoting healthy lifestyles through physical activity, healthy nutrition and weight management; providing health insurance options that encourage detection of cancer at its earliest stages, ensure access to quality care, and allow participation in cancer clinical trials; promoting employee awareness of these initiatives; and supporting the needs of cancer survivors in the workplace.
The Gold Standard provides a framework through which employers can lead by example. Over 200 private, nonprofit and government employers in a wide range of industries have earned Gold Standard accreditation including health and wellness influencers like the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Noted Gold Standard employers of choice include: Amgen, Astellas, Avis Budget Group, CVS Health, Dell, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Hogan Lovells, Johnson & Johnson, Lowe’s, Novartis, the Ohio State University, SAS, State Farm, and many Blue Cross affiliates.
About Aura Biosciences
Aura Biosciences is developing a new class of therapies to selectively target and destroy cancer cells. Its lead program, AU-011, is a first-in-class targeted therapy in development for the primary treatment of ocular melanoma. For more information, visit www.aurabiosciences.com.